Automatic water level regulator and safety switch



Dec. 29, 1931. G. s. FABER 1,338,373

AUTOMATIC WATER LEVEL REGULATOR AND sAFETY-swITcH Filed Dec. 6, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 G. S. FABER Dec. 29, 1931.

AUTOMATIC WATER LEVEL REGULATOR AND SAFETY SWITCH J 3 2 W 1 h I y i w} 4 q. 3% m5 w 2 m f c S m W7 //H 6 J 8 w l 6 m m d e 1 0 m J a w \Q\ k m .IPI L k w z w/M Patented Dec. 29,1931

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE? GUY s. 'FABER, OFAGHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR To JAS. r. MARSH & COMPANY, of

GHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS AUTOMATIc WATER LE EL REGULATOR ND SAFETY SWITCH Application filed December My invention relates to safety devices-that will control an electrical circuit upon varlation in conditions between desired limits,and more particularly it relates to mechansm operable by a float whch rises and falls with the liquid level in a tank whereby an electrical circuit is completed or broken in accordance with predetermined levels of the liquid. The tank may be connected with a source of supply by a flow or gravity pipe controlled by a valve in which event breaking the circuit will actuate the mechanism to close thevalve and completing the circuit will actuate such mechanism to open the valve. uid in the tank may be replenished otherwise, as for example,by a motor actuated pump which operates when the circuit is completed and is inoperative when the circuit is broken.

Because of the intermittent and irregular movement of a liquid actuated float which is governed by the elevation of the liquid in a tank, float-controlled mechanism as heretofore constructed has been unsatisfactory as an actuator of a circuit breaker. Proper operation of such switches requires that they be moved impulsively from open to closed position and vice versa, and also requires that such movement be complete and oneof the objects of the invention is to provide improved means connecting such a float with a circuit breaker switch wherebythe switch is actuated impulsively and completely to break or to con nect a circuit.

Because of its weight, it is desirable to have the float mechanism suspendedor sup- )orted other, than from the switch mechanism except when the float is traveling upwardly, and another object of this inventionis the provision of improved means intermittently operable to release the switch from the weight of the float mechanism. I

Many other objects and advantages ofv the construction herein shown and described will be obviousto those skilled in the art from the disclosure herein given;

To this endmy invention consists in the novel construction arrangement and combinationof parts herein shown and described, and more particularly pointed outin the claims.

The supply O her 6,1928. Serial No. 324,252. j :i'

Fig. 1 is an elevational view of a device em bodying my invention mounted uponand suspended from the top wall of a tank;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on the line 22 of Fig. 1 and drawn to a larger scale;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view on the line 33- of Fig. 1 drawn to the same scale as is Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a view on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2; and r Fig. 5 is a section on the line 55 of Fig. 1. 1 Referring now to the drawings wherein ike reference characters indicate like or corresponding parts: v v Any type of circuit breaker may beemployed, that shown consisting of a'mercury contact tube or switch 17 made ofglass or-r othersuitable material provided with contacts 15. When the tube or switch 17 isin horizontal position; the mercury bridges over or electrically connects the contacts 15, while when the tube is in tilted position thecircuitis broken between the contacts 15. l

Conductors 8 and 9 are connected with the contacts 15 so that the circuit through the conductors is controlled by tilting or rocking the tube 17 as will bemore fully explained the operation of the device. I

In thev embodiment illustrated the tilting of the tubes 17 is controlled by a float 12 which is positioned in a tank and rises and falls in accordance with the Water level there in. The numerals 10 and 11 respectively designate the upper and the lower walls of the tank in which the float 12 is positioned. An upper stop member 13 and a lower stop member 14 respectively limit the upward and the downward travel of the float 12 with the level of the water in the tank. 1

The float 12 is operatively connected by a rod 18 with the mechanism which actuates the tube or switch 17 v impulsively. Both the v mechanismactuating the switch 17 and also the switch are housed or enclosed in 'a'casing 16; A mounting member 19 supportsthe casing 16, the casing being fastened to the members by a plurality of screw bolts 23. "The,

through which screw bolts 25 or the like are inserted for fastening the mounting member on the upper wall 10 of the tank.

A pipe 20 has a threaded connection at its upper end with the member 19 and a similarly threaded connection at its lower end witha couplingmember'26' An extension pipe'21 connects the member 26 with a lower coupling member 27. The switchrodlS is operatively connected at its upper end with the tube or switch 17 and is-longitudinally movable through a bore formed in a coupling connectioni28iwith anextension rod. 29. .The rod 29 extends downwardly through the pipes and 21, passing through bores formed for that purpose in the members 26 and 27. The switch rod 18 and the extension -rod29 are'longitudinally movable as a unit relativelto the member 19 and thepipes '20 and 21 through which the rods extend.

ThepipesSZO and 21 provide a guide or runwayifor the-"float12. Thefioat' 12'isprovide'd'for this purpose with an open centrally ,positioned cylindrical member 22 which 25 "forms asleeve telescoping the pipes 20Na11d-21. TTheamount of vertical movement of the float 12,"'along the pipes 20 an'd'21 as a runway, is limited by the stop members 13 andl l. 'ZThe upper, and lower, portions of the members 26 30 andf'27 are-preferably solid except itorithe bores which contain the ro'dsj29 and their middle portions are generally cylindrical in Shape withtheir outer weillsproiddd with ppositely po'sitione'd vertically extending s1ots330.

Attransversely extendingpinfil is positiond in the coupling memberj26 with the ends ofthe pin projecting through the slot 3'30. The pini31 ismounte'd upon the extension rod'29 and. is ,prov-idedwith anannular shaped midportion'33 through which the rod "29 extends. 'A cotter vpinm32 ext-ends longitudinallythrough the-pin 31 and transversely through tl1e.rod;29 thereby fastening the pin 31 on" the rod 29. The bottom coupling memben27 is constructed similarly to, the coupling ="memberlf 26 and I- has a pin 1 similarly "fasr'tene'd to. the rod129. I'The pinsl31 ,the coupling members-126 landfQT,and.the cotter .pins32 togethefformthe upper and lowervstop menr bers113 and 14. It, is obviousfthatboth lot. the pins'31 will move with the mass upon. which they are mounted, and it isialsosobvious. that the longitudinal movement otithe roId1181a1i'd the rod 29 in thepipesl20 .-and 21lis limited by the permissible movement ,ofthe pinsfil in their slots 30.

"-Vertical actuation of the connected rods 18 and'29is accomplished by the cooperation of the Q'fioat sleeve 22 with the pins 31. The upper endv of'the float sleeve 22 comes into "contact with thetuppermost ofthe pins'31 as the water level approaches its predetermined upper: limit thereby carrying upwardly with I it"the connected ro'cls11 8and 29. iThe-sleeve 22 likewise contacts with the lower pins 31 as the level of the water in the tank approaches the lowermost predetermined limit and carries downwardly with it the rods 18 and 29 as the water level recedes.

Mechanism is provided for instantaneously ,moving the switch 17 from its operative to its inoperative position and vice versa, being actuated in such movement by the longitudi- -nal=movemcnt-ot the-switch rod:1-8. For this ;purpose -a--disk-3l is fixedly mounted on a shat't the disk 34 being connected with the upper'en'dof theswitclr rodi18 by means of a link 36. The link 36 is pivotally connected at one-end: to the disk 34 and at its other on d the link has! a pivotal connection with-the rod 18. As the rod18 is forced upwardly by the pressure of thefloat sleeve22 against the uppermost of the pins 31, the link 36 is caused to rotate the disk and the shaft 35, Rotation ofthe disk 34 and the shaft- 35 moves the mercury contact switch 17 to an in operative slopingpositi-on whereby the circuit is broken and the How of water into the .tank ceases.

The switch or tirbe'lT is mounted ina plate member-47. which projects through apertures (not shown) formed in a plate L8, the aperturesbeing so-formed as to permit limited rotation of'the member 47. The member 4%"? 'is suitably"fastened on one'face of a disk 49 which is rotatably mounted on the shaft 'AJsleeve' 50 is. mounted on the other :t'ace oi the disk 49, the amount oi rotation of the disk and the sleeve being limited by the peri inissible movement of the membern l-T. l laeh half of the free end of the sleeve 50' is cupped out to form camming surfaces terminating in oppositely positioned tooth like. projections Apair of rollers 52 are suitably mounted .onopposite sides of the shaft 35and are yieldin'glydiel'd againstthe ca-mming surfaces of the sleeve'SO by means of a spring 53. Rotation otthe sl1a ft'35 causes the roller-s52 to ride over the camming surfaces on the end of the vsleeve 50; thespring' 53 at the same time yielding slowly to permit the rollers to ride over the points of the projections The pressure of the spring 53 on. the rollers forces the sleeve 50 and the tube 17 which is I I mounted thereon to rotate in a direction oppositetot-he rotation of the shaft 35 in accordance with'the limitation of rotation im ;poseld the apertures in the plate 48. The "engagement of the rollers 52with the r .7 tively steep edges of the camming surfaces adjacent the projections 51 permits a rapid Vmovement'of the rollers which produces the hesire d impulse or quick throw of the switch -uponthe instant that the rollers reach the tip of the projection51. A more detailed. description oi. the mechanismis omitted since such mechanism is shown and claimed in my co-pending application Serial No. 322 906 filed'November 80, 1928.

The switch 17 remains in inoperative position until the water level has receded to the level where the float sleeve 22 contacts with and is partially supported by the rod 31 of the stop member 14. Continued recession of the water and of the float 12 carries the rod 29 and the switch rod 18 downwardly, causing the rod 18 to operate the disk 34 andits connecting link 36. The rotation of the disk 34 causes the shaft 35 to move the tube or switch 17 back to horizontal position, as above described in which position the circuit is closed and replenishment of the water supply in the tank is started. The tube 17 re mains in this horizontal operative position until the float 12 is carried by the rising water to a point where the rod 18 again moves the tube to its sloping inoperative position and thereby completes a cycle of operation,

The rods 18 and 29 are connected to the link 36 and their weight exerts a pull on the link which tends to hold the mechanism in the horizontal position of the tube 17. The tube 17 occupies its horizontal position during the upward movement of the float and during such upward travel the suspension of the rods from the link 36 is not objectionable. When the float 12 has completed its upward movement and by pushing against the upper stop member 13 has tilted the tube 17 to its inoperative position the float then travels downwardly with the recession of the liquid in the tank. The weight of the rods 18 and 29 tend to rotate the tube 17 back to horizon- Y tal and although the weight of the rods 18 I and 29 is not sufficient to overcome the thrust of the spring 52 on the sleeve 50 and thereby accomplish rotation of the tube, still it is considered desirable to eliminate such a tendency and for this purpose I have provided means whereby the rods are suspended from the member 19 while the water is receding.

When the rod 18 is in its uppermost position a generally spherical shaped member 40, which is positioned in an aperture 41 formed in the member 19, is forced by a spring 42 into a groove 13 formed on the rod 18. The spring 42 yieldingly holds the spherical member 40 in its position in the groove 43. The member 10 thereby supports the rods 18 and 29 when the float 12 is out of engagement with the upper pin 31 and until the float in receding comes to rest on the lower pin 31. Any tendency which the combined weight of the rods 18 and 29 would otherwise have to actuate the mechanism controlling the position of the tube or switch 17, is avoided by thus supporting the rod from the member 19. The float-12 when descending comes in contact with the lower pin 31 and the combined weight of the float and the rods 19 and 29 is suflicient to overcome the resilience of the spring 4-2 and forces the spherical member40 back into the aperture 41, thereby releasing the rod 18 from engagement with the memberJetO. A bolt 44 and a lock nut 45 provide means for adjusting the spring 42 whereby the weight which will operate to release the member 40 from holding engagement with the rod 18 may be varied in any amount as desired. a

- Having thus described my invention, it is obvious that various immaterial modifications may be made in the same without departing from the spirit of my invention; hence I do not Wish to be understood as limiting myself to the exact form, construction, arrangement and combination of parts herein shown and described or uses mentioned.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a device of the kind described, a switch adapted to control the flow of liquid into a tank, a float in the tank, a. supporting member for the switch, a vertically extending rod operatively connected with said supporting member, an upper stop member suitably mounted at a predetermined position on the rod whereby the rising float lifts the rod to open the switch, a lower stop member suitably mounted at a predetermined position on the rod whereby the weight of the receding float moves the rod downwardly to close the switch, means mounted in said supporting member operable to engage and fixedly support said rod, and sprmg means yieldingly holding said means in operative engagement with said rod in its elevated position until the weight of said receding float operates on said lowerstop member to lower the rod by overcoming the resistance of said spring means.

2 In a device of the kind described, a switch adapted to control the flow of liquid into a tank, a float. in the tank, a supporting member for the switch, a vertically extending rod operatively connected with said switch, said rod being longitudinally movable in a bore in said supporting member, an upper stop member. suitably mounted at a predetermined position on the rod whereby the rising float lifts the rod to open the switch, a lower stop member suitably mounted at a predetermined position on the rod whereby the weight of the receding'float moves the rod downwardly to close the switch, a horizontal plunger mounted in the supporting member, spring means yieldingly holding the end of the plunger in engagement with the rod, said rod having a recess into which the plunger enters when the rod is in its elevated position, whereby the rod is suspended from the plunger, said spring means yielding to release the, plunger from support of the rod when said float rests on said lower stop member.

3. A contact switch, mechanism operable to actuate said switch impulsively, a water tank, a float movable with the water level in the tank, means operatively connecting the float with said mechanism, said means comprising a vertically movable rod operatively connected at its upper end with said mechanism, upper and lower stop members suitably mounted on said rod in the path of said float to limit the rise fall respectively of said float whereby the float, when near its uppermost level actuates the rod upwardly to a point where said switch is impulsively opened and whereby the float when near its lower level actuates the rod downwardly to impulsively close said switch, and means operable to engage and fixedly support said rod at the point corresponding to the closing of the switch, and spring means yieldingly holding said means in operative engagement with said rod from the time the switch is opened by said upward movement of the float until the switch is closed by said downward movement of the float.

4. In a device of the kind described, an impulse switch adapted to control the flow of liquid into a tank, a float in the tank, a rod movable to open and close the switch impulsively, means connecting the float with the rod, whereby the movement of the rod is controlled by the rise and fall of the float, mechanism operable to fixedly support the rod in elevated position and spring means yieldingly holding said means in operative engagement with the rod when the liquid level in said tank is above a predetermined elevation.

5. In a device of the kind described, an im pulse switch adapted to control the flow of liquid into a tank, a vertically extending longitudin ally movable rod mounted in the tank, switch actuating mechanism operatively connecting the rod with said switch, a float telescopically connected with the rod, an upper stop member suitably mounted at a predetermined point on the rod whereby the rising float lifts the rod to close the switch, a lower stop member suitably mounted at a predetermined point on the rod whereby the weight of the receding float moves the rod downwardly and opens the switch, means adapted to fixedly support the rod in its elevated position correspondin to the closed position of the switch, and spring means operable by the weight of said float to release said rod supporting means from operative engagement with the rod when said float rests upon said lower stop member.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto signed my name.

GUY S. FABER. 

